St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-04-02
STOCKMEN'S PARADISE.
The Ooteau DIES Prairies of Dakota Extolled
as the Best Stock Region in
the Country.
What Montana Stock Grower Saws
Who Has Wintered His
Cattle There.
me Grass Abundant and Luxuriant.
the Water Unfailing and the
Market Near.
Room for Thousands of Bands of
Cattle and a Show for
Small Investors.

Cattle and Show for
Small Investors.
Special to the Globe.
JAMESTOWN, OAK, April 1.-The d.
Velopments of the winter have confirmed
beyond question the claims repeatedly reit-
Grated by Dakota stockmen as to the SINE
fior advantages and adaptability of Dakota
as stock region, and, besides revolution
lzing the present methods of Montana stock
growers, will result in opening the Dakota
cOteau west OF the James rivera region
OF unequaled facilities and special adapta-
plllty, which Will sooner or later become the
great rendezvous for the smaller stock
raisers of Dakota and eventually from Mon
tana. 1t is certainly the only unoccupied
stock-growing and stock wintering section
OF the Northwest. The vast and unruly
nerds. expensive to handle and money-los-
ing from heavy losses, which have so
crowded the ranges OF Montana have made
that region often unproductiye and at the
same time crowded ont and starved out the
small investor, on which class the pros-
perlty of any region in great measure de-
ponds. The losses on these large Montana
ranges the past winter have been
unprecedented, and the scarcity of feed
caused numerous herds to penetrate into the
valley OF tine James river and the coteau
OF Northern Dakota. Here was found
region with abundance of feed and shelter.
railroad facilities and access to markets.
section of small hills and grassy valleys
where vegetation is rank and luxurious.
and in which is found an unfailing supply
for stock the year round. These co1eau
can pasture thousands Of bands of cattle
horses and sheep, and the small investor
need have
NO FEAR OF LOSING
range from the encrOachment of power
ful syndIcates. Among the prominent
Montana stocknen who have been winter
ing herds in this region are Thomas w.
WadsWortb, of Billings, and sydney Pad
gett, of Miles City, both of whose herds
have wntered with scarcely any loss. and
are now in good condition, notwithstanding
the fact that no shelter whatever and very
little feed, except what could be found un.
derneath the snow. was provided for Them
Concerning his band Mr.. Wadsworth saws:
The hill country or cOteanX. reach
ing from the Missouri nearly 100
miles eastward in Northern Dakota.
is proving increasingly valuable as a stock
country. Not only for summer, but for
winter grazing it is superior to any locality
known to the writer for the breeding and
rearing of horses. The grasses are as
varied and far more abundant than in the
more western territories and cure equally
as well for winter pastures. | brought
large band of horses from Montana last fall
and they have wintered on the range west
| of jamestown as we'll. if not better than
they would in Montana. They have been
entirely without feed and shelter other than
| that provided by nature. and this during the
| most severe winter known for years, and
moreover they are in excellent condition"
| Mr. WadsWOrth thought this locality es-
| pecially adapted to small herds. and that
I more money could be made With d few
hundred head of stock here than from the
same number of thousands farther west"
| 1t is urged, probably, that the severity of
| the winters would necessitate the erection
of buildings for shelter. but those who have
had experience in both regions claim that
the losses on the Montana ranges would
more than counterbalance the expense of
| the construction of
PROPER SHELTER
and the difference III the cost of transpor-
| tatiOn to market would make the showing
decidedly in favor of the coteau country.
| Another stock grower living north of Spir-
| itwood lake, John Waugh has successfully
wntered 200 head, and the only protection
they had was a shed of pine lumber, backed
with straw, and costing less than $500.
! Other cases might be cited. all going to
| prove that with an average of two tons of
| hay to the head, with ordinary protection
| from straw and lumber sheds. stock can be
kept in Dakota cheaper than any other
place in the country. Previously the Da-
kota farmer has directed his attention to the
| one object of growing grain. The reverses
of the past two seasons together with other
causes, both direct and indirect, have moved
him. however. to the experiment of more
diversified farming. and a great number are
| investing and engaging in stock growing,
and are finding the change profitable one.
Owing to the fact that in former years
grain raising was the ruling passion. and
stock raising, foolishly, as the outcome
proves considered improbable, the Dakota
coteau-a region which providentially
seems to have been especially designed for
stock raising and furnished III abundance
with all the neceSSarieS for the successful
prosecution of such industrv-hay, grass,
water and Shelters a section of sparsely
settled country. Miles upon miles of shell
terng hills and grassy valleys are included
i'll this region and Dakota Stockmen already
have an eye on the coteau. This region
attracted the attention of Montana last fall
during their drouth when they were looking
for an escape from the sunburned hills of
their own territory, and there promises to
be lively development and scramble fol
the occupancy of the Dakota coteau dur.
ing the next few years.